Felicia Branch, a former law professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), has initiated legal action against university officials and the Arkansas Attorney General, Tim Griffin, following her dismissal last year. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Little Rock, alleges that Branch’s constitutional right to free speech was infringed upon when she was terminated for her social media posts regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Details of the Lawsuit
Branch’s complaint names Colin Crawford, dean of the William H. Bowen School of Law, and Christina S. Drale, the UALR chancellor, as defendants both in their individual and official capacities. The lawsuit asserts that the First Amendment protects Branch’s right to express her views, even if they provoke public outrage or political condemnation. Attorney General Tim Griffin is also named in the lawsuit for allegedly intensifying the retaliatory environment that led to Branch’s firing, although he was not the direct employer.
Branch, who served as an assistant professor of clinical education and directed the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic at Bowen, is represented by attorneys Verona E. Swanigan and Pasquel Lee. The complaint seeks Branch’s reinstatement or equivalent relief, along with damages against the named individuals for violating her constitutional rights.
Background of the Incident
The controversy began after Branch posted on Facebook following the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at a campus event in Utah. Her posts celebrated Kirk’s death and drew a parallel between those mourning him and the Ku Klux Klan. These posts led to her suspension with pay, pending an investigation. High-profile figures, including Griffin and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, publicly called for her termination.
Despite a faculty appeals panel recommending a warning instead of dismissal, Chancellor Drale upheld the decision to terminate Branch, citing disruption to the university’s operations. The lawsuit argues that the disruption was largely amplified by external reactions and the university’s own response.
Branch’s legal team contends that her posts were made as a private citizen and did not identify UALR as her employer, emphasizing that her speech was protected and off-duty.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
